


Best Friends (but better off as lovers, and not the other way around)

by grapeflavoredorange



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Boys In Love, Complete, Established Relationship, Fluff, Found Family, Gen, M/M, Oneshot, Valentine's Day, akira stays in tokyo bc found family, atlus let me date ryuji you cowards, no angst here folks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-14
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:35:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29420958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grapeflavoredorange/pseuds/grapeflavoredorange
Summary: GET: Ryuji's Chocolate x1
Relationships: Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji
Kudos: 60





	Best Friends (but better off as lovers, and not the other way around)

Akira needed to stop taking things for granted.

Being released from juvie felt like coming up for a breath of fresh air after being underwater for too long. He was truly thankful for everyone that pitched in to help get him out, especially Ohya, who went above and beyond in the process, having been the one to find the woman who he had “rescued” all those months ago. Once the probation charges were dropped, Akira was free to go, and ever since he had returned to Leblanc, he realized something.

He belonged there. He belonged in Tokyo with his friends, with Sojiro and the cafe, with Ann to go shopping with her, with Morgana to take him on strolls, with Yusuke to help inspire him, with Makoto to study with her, with Futaba to help her beat that one hard level, with Haru to explore cafes, with Ryuji…

Well, he couldn’t possibly list all the reasons he belonged in Tokyo with Ryuji.

As the date of his departure grew closer, Akira knew that he couldn’t just let it come and leave forever. He also knew that arranging his permanent residence would be difficult (could he guarantee that Sojiro would want to keep him?), and keeping it a secret from the others would be especially hard. However, he knew it wasn’t impossible. Akira had faked his death. He’d killed God. He could do anything. Including asking the impossible from his parents and Sojiro.

“What? Sure, kid, of course you can stay,” came Sojiro’s response when Akira asked him over the phone. He was walking home from school, not wanting any of his friends to hear the conversation on the train, and he definitely didn’t want to look Sojiro in the eyes when asking. However, he felt a sense of relief coursing through him when Sojiro answered. “Really?” Akira breathed, hardly believing it. “I can stay?” He heard Sojiro laugh on the other end. “Yes, you can. I just have to work it out with your parents. I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Akira felt like pumping his fist in the air and shouting in excitement. “Thank you, thank you so much, thank you…” he said quickly, now feeling happy tears forming in his eyes. It had been so much easier than Akira had anticipated. All he had to do was wait for what his parents would say.

\---

** February 11th, 2017 14:52 **

Sojiro: Guess what, kid?

Akira: what

Akira: do you want me to pick up groceries for you on the way home

Sojiro: No, but it would be nice.

Akira: what did you want to tell me then

Sojiro: Your parents said you could stay.

Sojiro: You just have to get your things back from your house.

Akira smiled more than he had ever done in school.

He’d never had a very good relationship with his parents. They hadn’t called or texted him once after he had been sent off to Tokyo; in fact, they seemed happy to see him leave. He could only imagine how relieved they were when Sojiro offered to take him off their hands, and for free at that: Akira hadn’t forgotten that they’d been paying the man to take care of him for the year. The process of driving all the way back to his hometown, emptying his old bedroom, and saying goodbye to his parents (probably for the very last time) would definitely be difficult and awkward, but Akira wasn’t thinking about that right now. All he cared about was how he was going to break the news to the others. 

However, when he saw a student drawing hearts on the blackboard for Valentine’s Day, he got an idea.

  
  


\---

The plan was set. 

The flowers were bought, the hot chocolate was brewing (Ryuji had never liked coffee), Morgana was hanging out with Futaba, Sojiro had gone home, and now all Akira had to do was wait. 

He stared at his reflection in the mirror of Leblanc’s tiny bathroom anxiously, listening for the sound of the bell on Leblanc’s door. He didn’t know how to sit at the bar and look casual while he waited, so he chose instead to hide in the bathroom. Finally, at a quarter to eight, he heard the door, and almost tripped over himself getting out.

There Ryuji was, in his bright red hoodie and purple coat, holding a bag and looking incredibly awkward. “‘Sup?” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. Akira smiled, walked up to him, and hugged him, noticing the smell of cologne, which Ryuji normally never wore. “Hey,” he breathed as he let go. “Happy Valentine’s Day.” 

Ryuji grinned awkwardly as he watched Akira run to behind the bar to grab their drinks. They were still hot, which was good, because Akira had forgotten how long he’d spent in the bathroom while he let them cool down. He watched Ryuji sit down in a booth seat as he brought them over, and sat across from him, pushing the drink across the table. “Here,” he said. “I put in vanilla, cinnamon, and a little bit of love.” Ryuji scoffed and took a sip. “Ya don’t have to be so cheesy, ‘Kira,” he joked. “That’s my job.” 

They drank their hot chocolate quietly, not saying much, just enjoying each other’s company. When Ryuji finished his drink and set the empty cup down on the table, he pulled out the bag that he was holding earlier. “I got ya somethin’,” he said, pulling out a red heart-shaped box of chocolate and pushing it across the table. It was shiny, with “TO: AKIRA, FROM: RYUJI!! YOU STOLE MY HEART!!!!” written on it in black Sharpie. Akira’s face felt hot when he read the writing and put the box next to him. “Thank you, Ryuji,” he said, smiling at him. The pun was cheesy, but coming from Ryuji, it meant twice as much. “I love it. I really really love it.” 

It was silent for a moment before Akira spoke again. “I got something for you, too,” he said. Ryuji’s face lit up. “But, you have to sit next to me to find out what it is.” That made him roll his eyes. “I figured you were gonna say that,” he said, but he still got up and sat next to Akira, who felt his heart start to beat faster. “So, what did ya get for me, chocolate? Whatever it is, I hope it can be somethin’ I can remember ya by. Since you’re gonna be leavin’ next month.”

Akira shook his head. “No, not chocolates. I think it’s even better than that, actually.” He held Ryuji’s hand and looked into his eyes, making him blush slightly. “I’m staying here. With you.”

Ryuji blinked. “What?” He looked confused. “You mean, you want me to sleep over or somethin’? ‘Cuz I can totally do th-” he started, but Akira cut him off. “No, dumbass. I’m not leaving. I’m staying here in Tokyo.” 

Ryuji’s eyes were the size of dinner plates.

“For real?! But why?!” The look on his face was now more shocked than confused as he tried to process what he had just been told. Akira nodded. “I realized something when I was away. You know, when you guys were trying to get me out.” He waited a moment in case Ryuji wanted to say something, but he didn’t, so he continued. “I… I belong with you guys. I belong here. I belong with you.” Akira could feel his face heating up again, but he kept going. “We went through so much together-- I faked my death for you guys. You survived a sinking ship for us. I got into so much trouble to keep you guys safe. I can’t just leave that behind.

“I can’t just leave you behind.”

Akira suddenly felt hot tears forming in his eyes, and he quickly let go of Ryuji’s hand to wipe them away. “I love you, Ryuji. I… I want to stay here forever. With you.” 

It was silent. For a moment, Akira was scared; scared that Ryuji would get angry, scared that he had made the wrong decision, scared that he had said the wrong thing, scared because Ryuji  _ still hadn’t said anything!  _ “Is… is that okay?” Akira finally asked timidly, watching Ryuji’s face change. First, he looked confused, then shocked, then, to Akira’s surprise, he started to laugh.

“Is that okay? Is it okay?! Of course it’s okay!” He looked at Akira incredulously. “Dude, this is the best present that anyone coulda given me!” He then shocked Akira by pulling him into a tight hug, squeezing him as he continued laughing. “You’re stayin’ here! With me! You’re- oh man, I can’t wait to tell the others!” He let Akira go only to run his hands through his hair, showing off his look of pure glee. “What’s the plan, then?! There’s gotta be more to this!” 

Akira blinked in shock. A minute ago, he was afraid that Ryuji would be angry that he was staying, but now the blond was wiping away tears of joy with his bright purple coat. “Um, well, we have to go back to my hometown to get all my stuff-” he started, but Ryuji interrupted him. “Seriously?! A road trip?! Dude, that’s awesome!” He pulled Akira in for another embrace again, still grinning. “This is the best Valentine’s gift ever! I get to go on a road trip with my boyfriend!” Akira started laughing too. It was just as great as it sounded. He was staying in Tokyo and going on a road trip with Ryuji. “Yeah, but Makoto’s gonna have to drive us--” he started, but Ryuji interrupted him again. “I don’t care! This is so great, I, I, I don’t even know what to say!” 

He let go of Akira to let him take a sip of his drink, which had unfortunately gone lukewarm. Putting the cup down, he turned his head towards Ryuji, who had since calmed down slightly and was leaning against the booth seat, staring at the ceiling, his face redder than the box of chocolates he had given to Akira earlier. “Dude, I couldn’t tell ya how happy I am right now…” he breathed. “I can’t put it into words… well, I can’t put anythin’ into words properly, really…” 

Akira smiled as he nudged Ryuji and pulled him close. “You know what?” he whispered as their lips touched.

“I can’t either.”

**Author's Note:**

> happy valentine's day!!!
> 
> instead of a new chapter of my current ongoing fic, you get this!!! yay!!!!
> 
> how can atlus make a found family story and then just have akira fucking LEAVE at the end of the game. not canon here, folks! i had a lot of ideas for a valentine's day fic but i liked this one the most, and i wanted to write something with no angst for once. so here, you can have this that feels rushed despite the fact that i spent a day and a half working on it. i hope you enjoy it anyways!
> 
> thanks for reading! if you enjoyed, please leave a comment/kudos! i hope you have a great valentine's day :-)


End file.
